About GYN Cancer

Prevalence

There are approximately 15,000 new cases of cervical cancer reported annually in the United States and 4,000-5,000 associated deaths. Median age at diagnosis is 63.

One in 70 women will develop ovarian cancer during her lifetime and the median age of onset is 61 years. There are approximately 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer, with some 14,000 deaths annually. Epithelial ovarian cancer comprises 90% of all ovarian cancers.

Uterine cancer is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract, accounting for approximately 30,000 new cases annually and 6,000 deaths. The median age at onset is 63 years with up to 25% of cases occurring in pre-menopausal women and only 5% in patients younger than 40 years of age.

Primary vaginal cancer represents 1-2% of malignancies of the female genital tract with average age of diagnosis at 60 years. The majority of cancerous vaginal growths are metastatic lesions from other primary sources (i.e. cancer has spread to the vagina from another location).

Vulvar cancer accounts for 3-5% of all female genital cancers and 1% of all malignancies in women. There are 2000-3000 new cases annually. The average age at diagnosis is approximately 65 years, but there is a trend toward younger ages at diagnosis.

Other gynecologic cancers, such as primary fallopian cancer, which accounts for only 3000 cases nationally per year, are quite rare.